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I know you've all heard this before, but: FF drifting!


GiveMeAnonymity
05-02-2008, 03:52 AM
I know you're all going to point me in the direction of the Search bar (electronically) and are going to do so rudely as I am the millionth person to be asking and posting such a thing, but, I do believe my situation is different than most of the situations other people encounter through other threads I've been reading as of late, so I felt the need to specify here. And, please excuse the run-on sentence.

I drive a 1999 Chevy Malibu LS. Now, I know this is most certainly not anywhere near an ideal drifting vehicle, but I am trying nonetheless. I am new to this and know very little, but I have heard of hand-braking, left-foot braking. My problem is this: the emergency brake is located to the left of the foot brake. I have no hand brake. I have not read a single thread addressing this issue, and so I ask for assistance on this forum.

Any and all help is appreciated. And don't worry, flaming is encouraged. At least be constructive, though, I'm sure we all have no time for idiots.

drdisque
05-08-2008, 11:02 PM
Seriously no, you can't drift that car for a number of reasons.

First, you have an automatic.

Second, your car is FWD

Third, your suspension is flimsy as a wet noodle

Fourth, your car has a fairly long wheelbase

Fifth, the footbrake issue

Sixth, the car was never built to do anything remotely close to what you're attempting to do.

Finally, your car is FWD. FWD "drifting" (it's not really drifting) is something that posers who drive a car their mom gave them, but just got done seeing a crappy movie and want to be "cool" like the guys in the movie and be "wicked sick" drifters do.

Seriously, don't be that guy. If you really want to drift, save up for a proper vehicle, or better yet, don't become another sucker to the drifting fad.

DGTrials.com
05-19-2008, 07:55 AM
You can't really "drift" an FF vehicle in the classical sense -- you're basically just sliding. It's very difficult to link corners.

Automatic is not really as much of a detraction as you think. You can pretty much just leave the car in 2 and you'll be OK. It does limit your overall capabilities, though.

Finally, as far as your "left foot" emergency brake, the only thing you can do is rig up a custom lever to actuate the system. Depending on whether or not the Malibu uses cable actuation or hydraulic actuation, you will have to do different things. There may also be some things to consider depending on whether or not the Malibu uses the regular caliper to actuate the e-brake or whether it has an internal drum.

I highly doubt the Chevy has the ebrake actuate the front brakes, but nothing would surprise me these days.

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